RYDER, Hon. Richard (1766-1832), of Westbrook Hay, nr. Hemel Hempstead, Herts. and 37 Grovesnor Street, Mdx.

Ryder had been hopelessly out of his depth as home secretary in Perceval’s ministry, and after his resignation in 1812 persistent ill health provided an additional reason for his retreat to the sidelines of politics. His wife had reputedly brought with her ‘a fortune of £100,000’, and he had inherited £2,000 and chambers in Lincoln’s Inn from his father in 1803, in addition to the unspecified provision already made on his marriage.1 Gent. Mag. (1799), ii. 716. His father’s will was proved ‘at the upper value’ (PROB 11/1396/630; IR26/77/74). In 1812 he inherited landed property in Hertfordshire from a cousin and was the residuary legatee of the estate, which was sworn under £10,000.2 IR26/558/817; VCH Herts. ii. 223. Though it was claimed in 1820 that he received £5,060 per annum from the tenure of various legal offices, most of this related to the post of judge advocate-general, which he had resigned in 1809.3 Black Bk. (1820), 440. He continued to sit for Tiverton on his brother Lord Harrowby’s interest, and he attended occasionally to give silent support to Lord Liverpool’s ministry. He voted in defence of their conduct towards Queen Caroline, 6 Feb. 1821. He paired against Catholic relief, 28 Feb., and the forgery punishment mitigation bill, 23 May. He voted against repeal of the additional malt duty, 21 Mar., 3 Apr. 1821. He divided against more extensive tax reductions, 21 Feb., abolition of one of the joint-postmasterships, 13 Mar., and repeal of the salt duties, 28 June 1822. He voted against the removal of Catholic peers’ disabilities, 30 Apr. 1822. He divided against repeal of the tax on houses valued at under £5, 10 Mar., and inquiries into the prosecution of the Dublin Orange rioters, 22 Apr., and delays in chancery, 5 June 1823. However, he voted for the motion condemning the trial of the Methodist missionary John Smith in Demerara, 11 June 1824. He divided against the Irish unlawful societies bill, 25 Feb., Catholic relief, 1 Mar., 21 Apr., 10 May, and the Irish franchise bill, 26 Apr. 1825. He voted for the financial provision for the duke of Cumberland, 30 May, 6 June 1825. Ill health caused him to be absent for much of the next session, but he was present to vote against reform of Edinburgh’s representation, 13 Apr. 1826.4 Surr. Hist. Cent. Goulburn mss Acc 304/67A, Goulburn to wife, 9 Mar. [1826]; Add. 40386, f. 145.

Following his unopposed return in 1826, Ryder became even less active and he was reportedly ‘still suffering from his headaches’. It appears that he would have retired in favour of his nephew Granville Ryder* in 1827, but for the fact that the latter’s pro-Catholic views made him unacceptable to Tiverton corporation.5 Goulburn mss 67A, Goulburn to wife, 20 Nov. 1826; Devon RO, Harrowby-Tiverton mss (xerox copy), xvi. 141. He divided against Catholic relief, 6 Mar. 1827, 12 May 1828. In February 1829 Planta, the Wellington ministry’s patronage secretary, listed him as an absentee, but after being twice named as a defaulter, 5, 10 Mar., he attended to vote against emancipation, 18, 30 Mar. 1829. He divided against Jewish emancipation, 17 May 1830. At the dissolution that summer he was able to make way for his nephew, now that the Catholic question had been settled.6 Harrowby-Tiverton mss, xvii. 43a. He became increasingly infirm, owing to ‘oppressive asthma’, and died in September 1832 after an attack of influenza and ‘three weeks in acute dropsy’.7 Duke Univ. Lib. Fazakerley mss, Sandon to Fazakerley, 18 Sept. 1832. He had no surviving children and left Westbrook Hay and the residue of his estate to Granville Ryder; his personalty was sworn under £140,000.8 PROB 11/1808/720; IR26/1302/684.